Paulinho (footballer, born July 2000)

Paulinho (footballer, born July 2000)
Paulo Henrique Sampaio Filho, commonly known as Paulinho (born 15 July 2000), is a Brazilian professional footballer who plays as a forward for Campeonato Brasileiro Série A club Atlético Mineiro.
Club career
Vasco da Gama
2017 season
Having progressed through Vasco da Gama's academy, Paulinho was promoted to the club's first-team squad under the management of Milton Mendes on 19 June 2017. On 13 July 2017, two days before his seventeenth birthday, made his professional debut when he was brought on as a 93rd-minute substitute in a 4–1 Brasileirão Série A away win over Vitória. Minutes after entering the field of play, he recorded his professional assist when he set up teammate Guilherme for his side's fourth goal. Eleven days later, he made his first professional start and scored twice in a 2–1 league away win over Atlético Mineiro, becoming the youngest player ever to score at Brasileirão Série A and the first player born at 2000s to score at Brasileirão Série A. On 3 December 2017, Paulinho opened the scoring of a 2–1 home win over Ponte Preta at the last round of 2017 Brasileirão Série A and helped Vasco da Gama to reach a qualification to Copa Libertadores next season.
2018 season
Paulinho made his first Copa Libertadores assist when he set up Evander to open the score in a 4–0 away win over Universidad de Concepción, by the 1st leg of Copa Libertadores second qualifying stage. On the 2nd leg, Paulinho made his first Copa Libertadores goal opening the score in a 2–0 home win over Universidad de Concepción. His goal made him the first player born at 2000s to score at Copa Libertadores.
Bayer Leverkusen
On 27 April 2018, German club Bayer Leverkusen announced that they had reached an agreement with Vasco da Gama for the transfer of Paulinho. The clubs agreed to a €20 million fee, a club-record deal for Vasco. He joined Leverkusen ahead of the 2018–19 season and signed a five-year contract.
Atlético Mineiro
On 1 December 2022, Paulinho joined Atlético Mineiro on loan until June 2023. He made his debut on 21 January 2023 in a Campeonato Mineiro 2–1 win over Caldense and scored his first goal in the following match, a 2–1 win over Tombense. On 1 July, he signed a four-and-a-half-year deal with the club on a free transfer.
On 27 August, Paulinho scored the first official goal in Atlético Mineiro's newly inaugurated stadium Arena MRV, with a brace in a Série A 2–0 win over Santos.
International career
Brazil national youth teams
In March 2017, Paulinho, along with Vinícius Júnior, Lincoln and Alan, helped Brazil win the South American Under-17 Championship. He scored two goals during the tournament, including the opening goal in Brazil's 5–0 win over Chile in the final.
In October 2017, Paulinho helped Brazil reach 3rd place of 2017 FIFA U-17 World Cup. Paulinho scored the winning goals against Spain at Brazil's debut, North Korea and in quarterfinals against Germany.
On 17 June 2021, Paulinho was named in the Brazil squad for the 2020 Summer Olympics. Coming on as a substitute, he scored in Brazil's opening game against Germany.
Career statistics
Club
Honours
Club
Vasco da Gama U17
Taça Guanabara U17: 2015
Vasco da Gama U20
Taça Guanabara U20: 2017
Taça Rio U20: 2017
Campeonato Carioca U20: 2017
Atlético Mineiro
Campeonato Mineiro: 2023
International
Brazil U15
South American Under-15 Football Championship: 2015 Colombia
Brazil U17
FIFA U-17 World Cup Third place: 2017
South American Under-17 Football Championship: 2017
BRICS U-17 Football Cup: 2016
Brazil U21
Toulon Tournament: 2019
Brazil U23
Summer Olympics: 2020
Individual
Campeonato Carioca MVP: 2018
Campeonato Carioca Team of the Year: 2018
Campeonato Carioca Best Young Player: 2018
"Revelação do Campeonato Brasileiro 2017" in vote held by Esporte Interativo
60 of the best young talents in world football by The Guardian
"30 Revelações do Brasileirão" by globoesporte.com
"Abusado da Rodada" in the 16th round of the Brasileirão 2017 in vote held by É Gol!!! from SporTV
"Pintura da Rodada" in the 16th round of the Brasileirão 2017 in vote held by É Gol!!! from SporTV
"Abusado da Rodada" in the 4th round of the Campeonato Carioca 2018 in vote held by É Gol!!! from SporTV
Best Player in the 1st match between Vasco da Gama x Jorge Wilstermann by the qualifying stage of the Libertadores 2018
2016 Montaigu Tournament Top Scorer: 4 goals
2017 U17 World Cup: 3 goals (Brazil's Top Scorer)
Minas Gerais State Championship Team of the Year: 2023
Records
Youngest player to play for Vasco da Gama at the Professional Era (16 years, 11 months and 29 days)
Youngest player to score a goal on Campeonato Brasileiro (17 years and 9 days)
First player born in the 2000s to score a goal on Campeonato Brasileiro
Vasco da Gama's youngest player to score in the Copa Libertadores (17 years, 6 months and 23 days)
First player born in the 2000s to score a goal on Copa Libertadores
First player born in the 2000s to score two goals on Copa Libertadores
4th youngest Brazilian player to score a goal on Copa Libertadores (19 February 2018)
Personal life
Following the goal he scored in a 4–2 victory over Germany at the 2020 Olympics, Paulinho celebrated by imitating an archer in homage to Oshosi, a popular orisha or spirit in Afro-Brazilian religion. Paulinho later stated that he performed the celebration to draw attention to the prejudice that followers of Candomblé and other minority religions face in Brazil. He was subsequently invited by the Mocidade Samba School to participate in the next year's carnival.
References
External links
2000 births
Living people
Footballers from Rio de Janeiro (city)
Brazilian men's footballers
Men's association football forwards
CR Vasco da Gama players
Bayer 04 Leverkusen players
Clube Atlético Mineiro players
Campeonato Brasileiro Série A players
Bundesliga players
Brazil men's youth international footballers
Brazil men's under-20 international footballers
Olympic footballers for Brazil
Footballers at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Brazilian expatriate men's footballers
Brazilian expatriate sportspeople in Germany
Expatriate men's footballers in Germany
Olympic medalists in football
Olympic gold medalists for Brazil
Medalists at the 2020 Summer Olympics